Thousands Gather in Colorado to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Charlie Kirk

This week, faith leaders and political leaders rallied thousands of Coloradans to celebrate the life and the legacy of Charlie Kirk.  

The gatherings were held at BRAVE Church, a megachurch near Denver where Kirk had been a guest speaker, and at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, the school that would have been Kirk’s second stop on The American Comeback Tour.

Both events honored Kirk’s courage in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel message and his devotion to the Christian faith. They also celebrated Kirk’s unwavering commitment to free speech, respectful debate and civil dialogue. He was a fierce champion of those ideas in the public square, often in the face of hostility.

Both events also emphasized the importance of keeping Kirk’s legacy alive by thoughtfully engaging the culture with truth.

BRAVE Church Memorial

On Sunday, BRAVE Church held a memorial service and prayer vigil honoring Kirk’s courage for his faith and his commitment to free speech. According to church estimates, approximately 5,000 people participated in person and online.

The service started with a time of worship. Featured speakers were former gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganhal, radio host Jeff Hunt, Pastor Jeff of BRAVE Church, and Victor Marx, who is rumored to be considering entering the gubernatorial race in Colorado.

Ganahl, who is part of Turning Point USA’s Advisory Board, encouraged attendees to carry on Kirk’s legacy, which is “lighting a global fire for the truth.”

Jeff Hunt told the audience that Kirk’s recipe for success was faith in Jesus Christ, character, devotion and inspiration. Hunt urged young people not to wait for permission to build their movement, but to address the problems of our day with courage and ingenuity.

Victor Marx revealed that he was a mentor to Kirk and had become a close friend of the family. According to Marx, Charlie applied three rules he’d been taught by Marx: Don’t ever make a decision out of fear, don’t make decisions based on ego or pride and don’t make decisions based on comfort or ease.  

To Pastor Jeff, Charlie Kirk was a hero and an encouragement to him. When Kirk came to the church to speak, Pastor Jeff told Charlie that he was going to ask him about his faith in front of the audience and Kirk responded by saying, “Jesus Christ is the most important person in my life.”

The audience were encouraged to see how Kirk used his faith to love his family and to impact the culture for truth. Pastor Jeff said that if there was anything Charlie would want done at his memorial, it would be to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Colorado State University

The CSU vigil in Fort Collins was organized by Turning Point USA and held on Thursday, September 18, the day Kirk would have been on campus for his second stop on the American Comeback Tour.

The event was held at Canvas Stadium, the school’s on-campus football stadium, and reports suggest there were anywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 people participating in the service.

Speakers at the Turning Point USA event included Will Witt, Isabel Brown and Heidi Ganahl, among others.

Will Witt, a conservative media personality from Colorado, said Charlie lived a genuine life and always spoke the truth, saying the best way to honor Kirk’s legacy is “through faith, through courage, through hope and through strength.”

Isabel Brown, also from Colorado and a graduate of CSU, who worked with Kirk directly when she was president of CSU’s chapter, said, “we didn’t just lose someone that we admire. We lost the intellectual and moral leader of an entire generation.”

Across Colorado and this nation, the remarkable turnout at Kirk’s memorial services is a testament to the fact that Kirk’s influence reached far beyond politics. From a faith filled gathering at BRAVE church to thousands filling Canvas Stadium at CSU, people of all ages came together to talk about faith, freedom and the future of America. There is hope in the fact that the legacy Kirk left behind is drawing people together in dialogue, in shared values, and in a hope for America.

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